Non residents getting jammed?

[Beendare]

Lets take a look at some actual numbers.

Lets look at Arizona here for a moment. There were 87,969 non res applicants for the Elk Draws last year. (Good luck to all of you /grin) This equates to $14,075,040. in just license revenue alone. A pretty good chunk of change...and the vast majority of those will not set foot in AZ this year.

Arizona limited the possible tags to non residents a few years ago to very few...... now we have a snowballs chance at these tags......WHILE THEY USE NON RESIDENT $$$ TO BALANCE THEIR F&G BUDGET. Fair?? Seems to me they made a conscious choice ......

It doesn't look like' fairness' is a word in the AZ F&G commissions vocabulary.

 

[Steve O]

Well, we all have to make choices. I think AZ is more “fair” to the NR hunter than NM so I continue to put in for AZ and don’t even look at NM. I’d rather hunt AZ elk once every decade than Colorado elk every year. We are all non residents in 49 other states so we all get screwed one way or another. I’m looking forward to someday retiring in AZ and will gladly have the rest of you poor bastards pay my way

 

[tgus59]

Is it their job to be fair, or is it their job to manage their natural resources and budget to the best of their ability?

 

[Azone]

I'm curious how many people would apply if there was no point system. 10 to 15 years down the road every state will probably just be selling points for 100 to 200 dollars, and people will still gladly pay that so they can draw "the super unit" after they pay for their top secret GPS coordinates.

Government and fairness? Let me know when you find that because I would love to see it lol!

 

[JWP58]

Life isnt fair. Fact is just about every state out west does it.

Heck, even yearly bird licenses are getting up there

 

[BuzzH]

Arizona could also make the choice to tell NR to go pound sand and keep all their wildlife resources for Residents....nothing to stop them from doing it.

As a NR we hunt at the complete pleasure of the States that are generous enough to allow us to.

For the record, I find Arizona to be quite generous to NR hunters...I've had 4 late deer tags, 4 rifle bull elk tags, multiple Javelina, and desert sheep tags there.

Arizona treats NR's very well with all kinds of great opportunity.

 

[bohntr]

.....or you could quit whining about it and move here like I did.

 

[EastMT]

I don’t think it’s bad. Sometimes the point system annoys me, like 30 years to draw certain tags, but there are good points for both ways.

Paying full price up front has good and bad points also, people with less money can have a chance, but also decreases odds. It’s nice to think a working guy making avg wages can apply for premier tags without dropping 10k for awhile which many don’t have, also sucks when an extra 2500 people apply for the one I want. So I see both sides.

We don’t pay income, sales, property or much of any other tax to support the wildlife we want to hunt in another state so that’s the price of admission I guess.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[5MilesBack]

I've never been one who complains about "fairness". There are advantages in life and their are disadvantages in life. If one finds themselves on the disadvantage side all the time, then it's probably time for a change. Choose to maximize the advantages that are important to you, and minimize the disadvantages. We all have choices, and nobody is forcing me to pay these fees.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Nonresidents in general know what the draw odds are and they chose to pay; Arizona didn't force them to apply. Seems pretty fair to me. Apply somewhere else if you want better odds.

While we're on the topic of Arizona elk, I feel like a lot of people are unaware of just how many elk there are in AZ compared to other states. Here’s a rough list of elk populations by state (in thousands) that I threw together from a few sources a year or two ago. I'm no biologist so excuse me if any of the numbers are far off:

Arizona- 37
Colorado- 270
Idaho- 120
Montana- 150
New Mexico- 85
Oregon- 125
Utah- 68
Washington- 60
Wyoming- 120

 

[Raghornklr]

I think AZ has a pretty fair system, as a non resident I don’t expect to hunt draw tags in any state every single year so I put in for a few. I’m lucky enough to be able to hunt every year at home. Out of state adds to it.

That being said I do regret moving out of Arizona without buying a lifetime license. Wish I had a do over on that one.

 

[jmcd22]

Maybe we should get AOC involved in F&G affairs...make it fair for everyone! (EDIT: Sarcasm...not directed at OP)

What I can't seem to understand is why people complain left and right about these kinds of things and then turn around and complain that their home state "is overran by nonresidents' and that the non residents 'have destroyed all of the good hunts'. If you don't like the odds or drawing systems of other states, don't apply. Enough people stop applying, F&G of that specific state will change the system to attract more applicants. It's pretty simple.

 

[HookUp]

SJH-Social Justice Hunters. I see the potential for a new foundation OP. Can report on all the micro aggressions of the fish and game departments towards out of state hunters.

 

[MuleyFever]

Almost twice as many elk in UT as AZ yet as a UT resident I will get at least 2 bull tags in AZ before I would get one in UT. Sad.

 

[nexus]

Interesting perspective on Arizona non-resident licensing fees. I always see my license fees as a cheap way to get an OTC deer tag that is generally good for the majority of Arizona for either WT or Mule deer (3 hunts no less - if I don't tag out early), a javelina tag for the same zone as my deer tag, and a cheap means ($15 ea.) to play the trophy antelope and elk game. To scratch the elk and antelope itch, I try to keep other states in the mix to ensure I can get a quality hunting experience (not necessarily trophy based) for elk and antelope every year. I guess that is the glass half-full spin.

 

[Beendare]

Just throwing out some stats on who is supporting the AZ F&G.

They get my money.

 

[Felix40]

If there is a state you want to hunt but cant get tags for, just move there. Thats what I did. Its all about setting up your life around your priorities.

 

[mj23polaris]

Move

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Bailer]

For mid-tier hunts I don’t think it takes much longer for nr to draw than r’s. But yes if you’re below max points and wanting to hunt the strip you should probably move here.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Bowhntr knows there are no Elk in Az..
Or Kiabab Mule Deer or Javelina.
All we have is JACKALOPES.